The Queen Mother's 100th Birthday

Baroness Trumpington: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there will be a national holiday to celebrate the 100th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and if not, why not.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: There will not be a national holiday to celebrate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's 100th birthday. It was decided that it would not be appropriate to proclaim a further bank holiday following so soon after the Millennium bank holiday and with proposals being considered for a bank holiday to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002.

Civil Justice Review, Northern Ireland: Publication

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they intend to publish the review of civil justice in Northern Ireland.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: The final report of the Civil Justice Reform Group will be published on 16th June with a consultation period until the end of September. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Joint Committee on Human Rights

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When it is intended to set up a parliamentary Select Committee on Human Rights in accordance with paragraphs 3.7-3.8 of the White Paper Rights Brought Home (Cm 3782, 1997).

Baroness Jay of Paddington: In its Second Report (8 May 2000, HL Paper 62) the Liaison Committee noted the Government's proposal to establish, before the Human Rights Act 1998 comes into force in October this year, a Joint Committee on Human Rights. Preliminary consultations on setting up a Joint Committee on Human Rights are now taking place within the usual channels. The House will, of course, have the opportunity to debate the proposed Standing Orders in due course, and I will ensure that adequate notice of any such debate is given on the Order Paper. The Government will propose very broad terms of reference for the Committee.

Committee on Standards in Public Life

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Leader of the House on 11 May (WA 236), what mechanisms exist within the Committee on Standards in Public Life for dealing with any potential or perceived conflicts of interest.

Baroness Jay of Paddington: The mechanisms for dealing with potential and perceived conflicts of interest for members of the Committee on Standards in Public Life are set out in the Committee's code of practice. Copies of the code can be obtained from the Committee or downloaded from its website at www.public-standards.gov.uk. Copies have also been deposited in the Library of the House.

Committee on Standards in Public Life

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Leader of the House on 11 May (WA 237), whether they are considering placing the Committee on Standards in Public Life on a statutory basis in the future.

Baroness Jay of Paddington: I refer the noble Earl to the Answer I gave to the noble Lord, Lord Dean of Harptree, on 11 May 2000, col. WA 237.

Committee on Standards in Public Life

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Leader of the House on 11 May (WA 237), what options for the future work of the Committee on Standards in Public Life other than a review of standards of conduct in the House of Lords were discussed between the Prime Minister and the Lord Neill of Bladen on 10 January.

Baroness Jay of Paddington: Information on internal deliberation, whose disclosure would harm the frankness and candour of discussion, is exempt from disclosure under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Committee on Standards in Public Life

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to ensure that the House of Lords can consider any report emanating from the Committee on Standards in Public Life's review of standards of conduct in the House in advance of it being disseminated more widely.

Baroness Jay of Paddington: It will be for the Committee to decide the arrangements for publishing their report.

Written Questions: Electronic Answers

Lord Lucas: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether it is yet possible for a Peer to request that copies of all replies to his Written Questions should be sent to him by e-mail; and, if so, how.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Central IT Unit of the Cabinet Office has investigated the feasibility of answering written parliamentary questions electronically and the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) has been developing a detailed operating system. CCTA is now working towards the implementation of the system and will be providing a report to the Library and Computers Sub-Committee of the House in June.

Free Television Licences Concession

Baroness Jeger: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will pay those pensioners who do not have a television the equivalent of the cost of a television licence, which they have proposed should be free to pensioners.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government is aiming to introduce, from 1 November, free television licences for all people aged 75 or over. We decided to introduce free licences for older pensioners because, as a group, they are more likely to be reliant on television as their window on the world. People aged 75 or over, who do not have a television set, will not receive a cash payment since the purpose of the concession is to assist access to television and not to provide a cash benefit.

Millennium Dome: Funding

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Millennium Commission has any further plans to provide financial support to the Millennium Experience at Greenwich.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: On 22 May the Millennium Commission considered an application for additional grant totalling £38.6 million from the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC). Whilst the Commission had serious reservations about providing further grant, they concluded that it would be foolish to withdraw support when the best of the year for visitor attractions is yet to come. They also felt that the value of the Dome as the centrepiece of the nation's millennium celebrations should be recognised and continued. The potential costs to the public sector arising from immediate closure, along with the economic impact on employment and tourism, were other factors taken into account.
	In light of this, the Commission announced that a further grant of £29 million, subject to stringent conditions, would be made available to NMEC. The Commission's decision was taken after an independent review of the NMEC's financial systems and business plans. The conditions are that there should be: strengthening and restructuring of NMEC's management and governance; a revised business plan showing substantial additional cost savings and enhanced marketing plans; and an enhanced financial team at NMEC, to be joined by a dedicated member of the Millennium Commission's own financial staff.
	All the Millennium Commissioners expressed confidence in NMEC's chief executive, P-Y Gerbeau and are appreciative of the changes he has made to the operation and running of the Millennium Experience.
	Despite lower than predicted visitor numbers, the Dome is the most popular and highly rated paid visitor attraction in the UK, with a wide range of educational benefits. NMEC is also running a national programme of events and activities across the UK. In addition, the largest derelict site in southern England has been regenerated and the foundations have been laid for a lasting legacy providing jobs and homes for thousands of people.
	In line with the commitment made by the previous administration that any additional Lottery funds required to support the Dome should not be at the expense of the Millennium Commission's wider programme of work, the Government confirmed that Lottery money would, if necessary, be made available to the Commission to ensure that its wider programme does not suffer.

Tobacco Smuggling

Lord Hardy of Wath: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their estimate of the loss incurred (a) by British retailers and (b) by the Treasury as a result of (i) the smuggling of tobacco and (ii) the importation of duty paid tobacco between 1996 and 1999.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: I refer my noble friend to the Tackling Tobacco Smuggling paper published on 22 March 2000 by HM Customs and Excise and HM Treasury.

A14 Road Bridges, Huntingdon

Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether all the bridges supporting the A14 near Huntingdon are rated for 44 tonnes; and, if not, what the limitations are; and
	Whether an operator running at 44 tonnes under the Construction and Use Regulations is required to notify any highway or bridge authority of his intention to use the A14 near Huntingdon.

Lord Whitty: This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency and I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency, Mr Peter Nutt, to write to the noble Earl.
	Letter from Ginny Clarke, Board Member, to Earl Attlee, dated 25 May 2000
	"The Minister for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent question about bridges supporting the A14 near Huntingdon, and about vehicles running
	44 tonnes under the Construction and Use Regulations. You also wish to know whether operators of such vehicles are required to notify any highway or bridge authority of their intention to use the A14 near Huntingdon.
	"All bridges on the A14 near Huntingdon are currently rated for 44 tonnes provided the vehicle is within the Construction and Use Regulations. Under these regulations, there are no notification requirements for vehicles running at 44 tonnes on the A14 near Huntingdon."

Public Footpaths and Bridleways

Lord Blaker: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will list, by county, for England and Wales the number of miles of (a) public footpaths and (b) bridleways.

Lord Whitty: This information is not collected by my department. The County Surveyors' Society has supplied the information in Table 1 for England, and the Countryside Council for Wales has provided the information in Table 2 for Wales.
	
		Table 1
		
			 Council Footpaths (km) Bridleways (km) 
			 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council 555 150 
			 Birmingham City Council 500 5 
			 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council 327 2 
			 Bradford Metropolitan District Council 834 105 
			 Bury Metropolitan Borough Council 280 19 
			 Calderdale MBC 1,200 218 
			 City of Sunderland 131 26 
			 Newcastle City Council 71 17 
			 Coventry City Council 102 0 
			 Doncaster Metropolitan Borough  Council 358 94 
			 Dudley MBC 280 10 
			 Gateshead MB Council 173 32 
			 Kirklees MC 944 83 
			 Knowsley Metropolitan Brough Council 70 7 
			 Leeds City Council 942 153 
			 Liverpool City Council 40 10 
			 Manchester City Council 72 0 
			 North Tyneside Council 97 24 
			 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council 375 31 
			 Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council 421 77 
			 Rotherham Metropolitan Borough  Council 400 50 
			 Salford City Council 119 3 
			 Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council 72 3 
			 Sheffield City Council 632 76 
			 Solihull MBC 200 11 
			 South Tyneside MB Council 74 10 
			 St Helens MBC 220 3 
			 Stockport Metropolitan Borough  Council 205 35 
			 Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council 815 110 
			 Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council 95 1 
			 Wakefield MDC 389 79 
			 Walsall MB 87 2 
			 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council 430 35 
			  
			 Wolverhampton MBC 57 6 
			 Bedfordshire County Council 1,543 565 
			 Cambridgeshire County Council 2,202 516 
			 Lincolnshire County Council 3,040 782 
			 Luton Borough Council 8 6 
			 Norfolk County Council 2,628 499 
			 North Lincolnshire Council 410 83 
			 North East Lincolnshire Council 150 75 
			 Peterborough City Council 165 89 
			 Suffolk County Council 4,482 558 
			 Derby City Council 52 3 
			 Derbyshire County Council 4,800 456 
			 Herefordshire Council 2,942 394 
			 Leicester City Council 76 18 
			 Leicestershire County Council 2,429 504 
			 Northamptonshire County Council 2,148 810 
			 Nottingham City Council 2 8 
			 Nottinghamshire County Council 2,368 815 
			 Rutland County Council 191 124 
			 Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council 25 45 
			 Shropshire County Council 4,250 770 
			 Staffordshire County Council 3,620 355 
			 Stoke City Council n/k n/k 
			 Telford and Wrekin Council 300 65 
			 Warwickshire County Council 2,318 482 
			 Worcestershire County Council 4,210 421 
			 Blackburn with Darwen Borough  Council 466 2 
			 Blackpool Borough Council 19 3 
			 Cheshire County Council 2,807 132 
			 City of York Council 165 35 
			 Cumbria County 5,451 1,883 
			 Darlington Borough Council 224 65 
			 Durham County Council 2,795 501 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire Council 950 350 
			 Halton Borough Council 77 1 
			 Hartlepool Borough Council 83 5 
			 Kingston-upon-Hull City Council 39 0 
			 Lancashire County Council 5,568 383 
			 Middlesbrough Borough Council 35 2 
			 North Yorkshire County Council 8,749 2,787 
			 Northumberland County Council 3,133 1,295 
			 Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council 221 53 
			 Stockton Borough Council 156 33 
			 Warrington Borough Council n/k n/k 
			 Wirral Borough Council 95 17 
			 Bracknell Forest Borough Council 45 5 
			 Brighton and Hove Council 25 77 
			 Buckinghamshire County Council 2,720 587 
			 East Sussex County Council 2,451 713 
			 Essex County Council 6,505 800 
			 Hampshire County Council 3,342 681 
			 Hertfordshire County Council 2,228 577 
			 Isle of Wight Council 514 266 
			 Kent County Council 5,744 663 
			 Milton Keynes Council 345 191 
			 Oxfordshire County Council 2,553 970 
			 Portsmouth City Council n/k n/k 
			 Reading Borough Council 17 1 
			 Royal Borough of Windsor and  Maidenhead 219 30 
			 Slough Borough Council 19 3 
			 Southampton City Council 16 3 
			 Southend-on-Sea Borough Council 90 2 
			 Surrey County Council 2,112 1,014 
			 The Medway Towns Council 218 15 
			 Thurrock Council 15 1 
			 West Sussex County Council 2,816 1,006 
			 West Berkshire Council 676 200 
			 Wokingham District Council 143 21 
			 Bath & North East Somerset Council 738 36 
			 Bournemouth Borough Council 32 1 
			 Bristol City Council 125 5 
			 Cornwall County Council 3,533 527 
			 Devon County Council 4,200 1,250 
			 Dorset County Council 2,790 1,730 
			  
			 Gloucestershire County Council 4,503 703 
			 North Somerset Council 656 65 
			 Borough of Poole 35 6 
			 Plymouth City Council 9 0 
			 Somerset City Council 4,760 910 
			 South Gloucestershire Council 1,118 112 
			 Swindon Borough Council 129 59 
			 Torbay Borough Council 180 3 
			 Wiltshire County Council 3,560 1,573 
			 Dartmoor National Park 331 316 
			 Exmoor National Park 438 464 
			 Broads National Park 278 32 
			 Lake District National Park 2,896 673 
			 Northumberland National Park 529 368 
			 North York Moors National Park 1,506 752 
			 Peak District National Park 2,124 258 
			 Yorkshire Dales National Park 1,483 634 
			 London Borough of Barking &  Dagenham 17 0 
			 London Borough of Barnet 23 1 
			 Bexley Council 43 3 
			 London Borough of Brent 16 1 
			 London Borough of Bromley 169 14 
			 London Borough of Croydon 107 17 
			 London Borough of Ealing 65 1 
			 London Borough of Enfield 37 5 
			 London Borough of Haringey 16 0 
			 London Borough of Harrow 21 4 
			 London Borough of Havering 97 7 
			 London Borough of Hillingdon 81 4 
			 London Borough of Hounslow 20 2 
			 Royal Borough of Kingston 24 7 
			 London Borough of Merton 43 10 
			 London Borough of Newham 19 3 
			 London Borough of Redbridge 16 1 
			 London Borough of Richmond-upon- Thames 100 2 
			 London Borough of Sutton 17 4 
			 London Borough of Waltham Forest 12 0 
			 Corporation of London 8 0 
			 Camden 2 0 
			 Greenwich 16 1 
			 Hackney n/k n/k 
			 Islington 0 0 
			 Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea 6 0 
			 Lambeth 14 0 
			 Lewisham 6 0 
			 Southwark 2 0 
			 Tower Hamlets n/k n/k 
			 Wandsworth 19 0 
			 Westminster City n/k n/k 
		
	
	
		Table 2
		
			 Council Footpaths (km) Bridleways (km) 
			 Blaenau Gwent 193.46 5.173 
			 Ynys Mon 1,056.5 3 
			 Gwynedd 3,317.7 300.88 
			 Wrexham 783 60 
			 Newport 266 7 
			 Swansea 506 113 
			 Torfaen 292 7 
			 Conwy n/k n/k 
			 Neath and Port Talbot 529 123 
			 Brecon Beacons NP 1,500 220 
			 Carmarthenshire 3,100 120 
			 Bridgend 494.78 79.66 
			 Pembrokeshire 1,287.2 209.17 
			 Powys 6,391 2,770 
			 Snowdonia NP 2,316 186 
			 Ceredigion NP 1,634 468 
			 Cardiff 165.225 5.536 
			 Caerphilly 818.4 135 
			 Pembrokeshire Coast NP 823 121 
			  
			 Flintshire 935 106 
			 Denbighshire 1,110 185 
			 Vale of Glamorgan 498.2 27.17 
			 Rhondda Cynon Taff 652.534 88.172 
			 Merthyr Tydfil 50.141 29.176 
			 Monmouthshire 1,434.6 66.7

Guide Dogs Carried in Taxis: Regulations

Lord Campbell of Croy: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the provisions in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, applying to the carriage of guide dogs for blind people in taxis, have yet been put into effect: and to what extent minicabs are included under those provisions.

Lord Whitty: The package of regulations relating to those provisions is being finalised now. We are taking the opportunity to extend these duties, as provided for by the legislation, by specifying other assistance dogs used by disabled people in addition to guide and hearing dogs which are included on the face of the Disability Discrimination Act. This addition has delayed final production of the package, but we aim to consult on it within a matter of weeks with the aim of bringing in the duty at the end of this year. Private hire vehicles--or minicabs as they are known--are not covered by the Act. We therefore have no powers to extend these duties to the drivers of those vehicles.

Right of Access to Countryside: Assessment of Litter Problem

Lord Hardy of Wath: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What consideration has been given to the dumping of litter or waste upon private land in connection with the proposed extension of access; what action (a) the owner or occupier of open land and (b) police forces will be able to take to prevent or respond to the problem.

Lord Whitty: The right of access to open countryside provided for in the Countryside and Rights of Way Bill is limited to those who enter onto land on foot for the purposes of open-air recreation. The Bill provides that those who exercise the right of access must abide by sensible restrictions, including a requirement not to deposit any rubbish or leave any litter. Leaving litter on access land will also be an offence. The Bill does not give people any right to enter onto land for the purpose of dumping litter or waste, nor does it oblige landowners to facilitate access for that purpose. We do not expect that the Bill will generally lead to a significant increase in littering on open country. Access authorities will be able to provide assistance with wardening where problems may occur.

Prison Service Projects

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will list the initiatives on which the Prison Service spent money without contractual backing in 1999-2000, giving in each case the name of the initiative and the money spent.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Prison Service does not have any information available centrally about initiatives operating without contractual backing.
	A new Prison Service instruction is to be issued shortly which documents overall strategies, procurement best practice, mandatory instructions and carries with it a revised system of contractual delegations. A copy will be sent to the noble Lord and copies placed in the Library when it is published.
	I understand that the noble Lord is primarily interested in expenditure on the KAIROS/APAC projects which were operating in three prisons; the Verne, Swaleside and Highpoint under partnership agreements until June 1999.
	Money spent on these projects during the financial year 1999-2000 amounted to a total of £41,075. The amounts spent by each establishment in that financial year and, in total, are given in the table.
	
		Payments made by the Prison Service to KAIROS/APAC Trust
		
			 Establishment Payments Made 1999-2000 Total Payments Made 
			 Brixton £17,587 £37,126 
			 Highpoint £4,738 £38,427 
			 Swaleside £8,250 £16,344 
			 The Verne £10,500 £18,500 
			  
			 Totals £41,075 £110,397